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Brian Lehrer talking about bike crackdown

WNYC’s Brian Lehrer talked about the bicycle crackdown in NYC in his morning show.

He asked if people have been given tickets during the official crackdown…I left this comment:

“It’s one thing if the NYPD can differentiate between obnoxious cycling breaking the law and being unsafe to pedestrians such as riding on the sidewalk. Unfortunately what we are seeing is continued harassment from the police indiscriminately giving tickets to everyone they see. Running red lights? Come on…this is like cracking down on jaywalking. A friend of mine got a ticket for not riding in the bike line on 1st Ave. The law states that you must use bike lanes unless obstructed for any reason. We all know the bike lanes are always obstructed, half the time by police. The cops were using these same tactics during critical mass and then had to pay out a million dollar lawsuit. This is clearly a backlash to the NYPD being sore losers who hate biking and the direction the DOT is taking. On any given day you can find any number of people “at the transportation table” being naughty and breaking the law. This includes u-turns, running reds, jaywalking, double parking, driving while texting or using a cell phone without a hands free device. Come on, in the dead of winter when the ridership is at its lowest the NYPD is calling for a crackdown? Are we expected to believe that the police are so inundated with complaints form pedestrians on 311 they are actually doing something about it? Yeah right? Why not come crackdown on the people who’s dog poop I am stepping in or idling cars or double parking fresh direct trucks. Biking is up, the community boards are pushing for infrastructure for biking as we are seeing in Prospect Park. Face it NYPD. Yes cyclists need to obey laws, be respectful, stay off the sidewalks but a crackdown…come on, get real. The NYPD needs to get with the program. The age of alternative transportation is here and being punitive with 270.00 tickets for running a red is not the direction this broke city should be heading especially with an MTA who doesn’t disclose it’s books and raises fares.”

2 comments to Brian Lehrer talking about bike crackdown

my ticket came at 10:30pm in the middle on Roebling (in the bike lane) exiting McCarren Park, not a soul in sight, 15degrees outside, riding through a red light. Yes i broke the law, but am i endangering anyone, is it rush hour, is this the wisest use of my tax dollars?